Android 4.4.3 KitKat: 5 Things You Need to Know

It appears that Google will, some point, replace the Android 4.4.2 KitKat update with a brand new Android 4.4.3 KitKat update, an update that many Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 10, and Nexus 7 owners have been waiting for thanks to Android 4.4.2 KitKat problems. With that in mind, we want to take a look at the most important things Android users need to know about the rumored Android 4.4.3 KitKat update.

Advertisement

Back in October, Google announced the Nexus 5 and along with it, the Android 4.4 KitKat update and its incremental features. Android 4.4 KitKat had originally been announced in September, right around the time that Apple was gearing up for the arrival of the iPhone 5s and its new iOS 7 software update.

Shortly after the Nexus 5 announcement, Google released the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update to owners of its older Nexus devices which include the Nexus 4, Nexus 10 and the Nexus 7. Almost immediately after its deployment, we started hearing about Android 4.4.2 KitKat issues.

Weeks later, Google pushed out Android 4.4.1 KitKat for Nexus devices, an update that not only brought some fixes along with it, but Nexus 5 camera tweaks as well. It was large enough that Google felt like it had to publicly announce the arrival of the update. The company typically does not do that.

Shortly after the Android 4.4.1 KitKat update arrived for Nexus owners, Google pushed out another KitKat update in Android 4.4.2 KitKat. And it’s that update that Nexus owners and many other Android owners have been on for months.

Advertisement

From the looks of things, Google is preparing another Android 4.4 KitKat update in the form of Android 4.4.3 KitKat, an update that we predicted would arrive for users several months ago. While nothing is set in stone, Android 4.4.3 KitKat update details have started to emerge at an increasing pace and here, we want to take a look at what we’ve heard so far.

Advertisement

In Testing

Yesterday, two key pieces of Android 4.4.3 KitKat update information emerged. The first was fromTuttoAndroid, an Italian Android-centric blog. The site discovered evidence that suggests that Google is testing an Android 4.4.3 KitKat on the Nexus 5. The testing reveals little other than the fact that Google is indeed testing a new Android update and that the current build is KTU72B.

The site’s information was backed up LlabTooFeR, a well known HTC insider and developer who says that the update is under testing for HTC devices as well. He says that the build will be KTU72B, something that lines up with the information that arrived earlier in the day for Google’s Nexus 5.

What’s important to note is that this all but confirms an Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for arrival. Both sources are reliable and it looks like a successor to Android 4.4.2 could arrive at any time.

Advertisement

Android 4.4.3 Release Soon

When we say at any time, we truly mean it. According to Android developer mike1986, the Android 4.4.3 KitKat release should be just around the corner.

We should see Android 4.4.3 (KTU72B) pretty soon. It won’t be a major update so merging sources for the HTC One 2014 shouldn’t take long.

He doesn’t provide a release date but his information should be considered reliable. If that’s not enough, LlabTooFeR claims that the update will be released in two to three weeks which means that a release for Nexus devices could be imminent.

Nexus 7, Nexus 4, Nexus 10 Android 4.4.3 Updates Likely

The update has only shown up on the Nexus 5 but that doesn’t mean that it will be limited to Google’s new Nexus smartphone. There is currently no evidence to support an arrival for the Nexus 4, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 but there is good reason to believe that it will land for all of Google’s Nexus smartphones. TuttoAndroid agrees with us.

Google has promised a fix for some of these issues though the company was careful not to say how or when it would release these fixes for Nexus users. An Android 4.4.3 KitKat bug fix update seems like the most logical solution to us.

So while we still don’t know exactly where this update is headed, don’t be surprised if the update lands for Nexus users across the board. It would be strange if the update was limited in some way.

Fixes

Again, Google confirmed a number of upcoming fixes for Nexus users and it’s not to believe that they will arrive on board Android 4.4.3 KitKat. mike1986 claims that the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update won’t be a major update, something that we expected and something that points to a bug fixer.

Advertisement

LlabTooFeR claims that the update is going to fix a camera issue and we assume that he means the Nexus 5 camera issue that is reportedly causing battery life issues for users. Other than that, the contents of the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update remain a mystery though again, users should not expect tons of new features.

That’s good news for all Nexus 5 users like me. Due to continuous running of camera based apps in the background the battery of my Nexus 5 get drained soon as I have to keep my phone on wireless charger thrice in a day to keep it fully charged. Yes there is some relief from it after Skype updated their app but still the problem persists due to bug in the Android. Hope they will launch it soon in order to rectify this problem.